Europe threatens retaliation, China responds with its own tariffs, and Mexico scrambles to soften the blow. While world leaders express concern over President Donald Trump’s announcement of sweeping tariffs on U.S. imports, Argentina’s far-right president is celebrating.
Javier Milei was honored at Trump’s exclusive Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida, during a gala hosted by the conservative “American Patriot” movement. He flew in for 24 hours to receive an award recognizing his libertarian agenda—and, hopefully, to meet with the former U.S. president.
“Let’s make Argentina great again!” Milei exclaimed from the main ballroom stage, echoing Trump’s signature campaign slogan.
It would have marked the fourth face-to-face meeting between the two since Trump’s electoral victory in November. As Milei pushes an aggressive austerity program to stabilize Argentina’s long-troubled economy, he is positioning himself as one of the White House’s most loyal allies in the global culture war against progressive politics.
Still, whether that personal bond with Trump can bring tangible benefits to Argentina remains to be seen.
“Milei has a special relationship with Trump that’s been politically useful to him, but he has yet to turn it into an economic win for the country,” said Marcelo J. García, Americas director at the New York-based geopolitical risk consultancy Horizon Engage.
Milei’s alignment with Trump isn’t new. Earlier this year, Argentina pulled out of the World Health Organization following a similar move by the U.S.; he criticized the Paris climate agreement; banned gender transition treatments for minors—mirroring policies Trump has pushed—and even promoted a cryptocurrency resembling the $Trump memecoin, sparking political backlash.
Now a celebrity within the MAGA universe, Milei has taken aim at socialism and feminism on the global stage. At his most recent appearance at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), he gifted Elon Musk a giant chainsaw modeled after the one he wielded during his 2023 presidential campaign.
While global leaders voiced strong opposition to the new tariffs announced by the Trump administration, a tuxedo-clad Milei delivered a fiery speech beside a painting of Trump raising his fist—relishing the moment to reaffirm his loyalty to the former U.S. president.
“We do politics through action, not empty words. In that, we fully agree with President Trump,” Milei declared to loud applause, name-dropping Trump at every turn.
Back in Buenos Aires, Milei’s administration worked to reconcile Trump’s tariff package with its own radical libertarian stance and support for free trade.
“We don’t see this as an attack on free trade—on the contrary,” said presidential spokesperson Manuel Adorni during a press conference. “We don’t see why this should cause so much concern.”
Despite the warm rhetoric, Argentina wasn’t exempt from tariffs. It was hit with a minimum 10% tariff, which the government framed as a unique sign of preferential treatment. The front page of the country’s largest newspaper, Clarín, read: “Trump raises tariffs on our products less than on other countries.”
In Washington, Argentine Foreign Minister Gerardo Werthein held what he called “highly productive” meetings with U.S. chief trade negotiator Jamieson Greer and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick. He expressed optimism that Argentina is on track to negotiate a free trade agreement with the U.S.
Milei praised progress toward such a deal during his Mar-a-Lago speech. But the real priority for the Argentine leader is a much-needed $20 billion bailout from the International Monetary Fund—money that would be crucial for sustaining his economic reforms as Argentina’s foreign reserves continue to dwindle.
He has already used executive powers to bypass congressional approval for a new IMF program. Still, the deal hasn’t been finalized. Negotiations continue over how much of the funds Argentina—already $44 billion in debt to the IMF—can access upfront.
